About Tom Merritt

Tom is an award-winning independent tech podcaster and host of regular tech news and information shows. Tom hosts Sword and Laser, a science fiction and fantasy podcast, and book club with Veronica Belmont. He also co-hosts Daily Tech News Show, covering the most important tech issues of the day with the smartest minds in technology.

Tom and Scott Johnson cover the best of the geek world in a weekly show called Current Geek. With Brian Brushwood Tom hosts Cordkillers, bringing people the news they need to watch the TV shows and movies they want when they want and how they want them. He also hosts Top 5 for Tech Republic. All his shows are listed on the subscription page.

From 2010 until 2013, Tom hosted the award-winning Tech News Today and weekly cord-cutting show Frame Rate on the TWiT network. He created, developed and produced both shows.

From 2004 until 2010 Tom was executive editor for CNET TV at CNET.com. He hosted the daily Buzz Out Loud podcast and a weekly how-to show called The Real Deal. In addition, Tom hosted regular segments on CNET TV like Top 5, How-to, Hacks, and more.

Tom served as executive producer for TechTV’s website until 2004. He started at ZDTV as Producer of The Screen Savers website in 1999.

Tom has run SuBBrilliant.com since 1996. It is a collection of Web experiments including SuBBrilliant News, a parody news blog, and the East Meets West podcast which features Roger Chang.

You’ll also find Tom as a guest or interviewed as an expert on many TV, radio and Internet shows like ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS Radio, NPR, This Week in Tech, The Phileas Club and more.

222 Responses to “About Tom Merritt”

Hey Tom,
Long time listener here. I have a small suggestion for the site. I think it would be nice to have a couple sentence description of each show displayed above that show’s feed and on that shows frogpants site. For example, I don’t really know what you talk about in AutoPilot and it seemed harder than it had to be to actually realize it wasn’t about aircraft navigational software.

I am starting up a podcast that will spotlight the people and businesses, who have or are currently running successful crowdfunding campaigns. It is incredible what you have done on Patreon, and would love to have you on the show. Let me know what you think.

Not a website comment. I had not heard if you have been watching Season 3 of Orphan Black. In the first scene of the fiorst episode it struck me how the housewife orphan look, mannerism and voice were almost identical to those of Veronica Belmont! Just my observation. Keep up all the great work. Thx

Tom, I got an email from Patreon intended for artists like you offering to promote you to Patreon contributors. I do not know whether I received that email because of an anomaly or whether they sent it to all contributors. If they did, it was an error in judgment on their part. I think you and I exchanged tweets long ago… If you emailed me, I will forward what I received… I would rather not post it here (because then I would simply be propelling their mistake). I wrote you with encouragement before the show started. I really love DNTS for these reasons: the incredibly valuable quick update at the beginning of the show; your intelligence and quick wit; your selflessness ensuring the show with an interesting variety of regular guests (cohost). I tell acquaintances interested in tech but if they are to subscribe to only one podcast then it is yours.

There is a hoax email going around pretending to be from Patreon in an attempt to trick people into giving over their personal information. I suspect that may be what you received. Please ignore and delete it.

Tom,
I remember you mentioning on Current Geek that you bought the Star Wars Complete Saga Blue Ray set in a way that also got you online copies. I can only find ways to by the Blue Rays or digital versions, for $90 each. Can you share your method with me? I have some Christmas money that I need to spend. Thanks.

Hi Tom,
I’ve only recently found your DTNS and Sword and Lazer shows, but have become big fans of both. After hearing you guys talk about Mad Dogs, I decided to check it out and loved it. I watched through episode four. I was listening to your most recent Spoilerin Time where you were talking about “Milo” and realized we are watching two different shows. I’ve been watching the original UK version. http://m.imdb.com/title/tt1652218/ It only lasted fourteen episodes, but seems to be following the same script as the American version. Didn’t know if you guys were aware, but wanted to let you know.

Hi Tom,
Been following you for years. Your Chicken Man reference (he’s everywhere, he’s everywhere) today blew my mind. I listened to Chicken Man all the time but when I ask people about it they think I’m crazy. You are obviously a kindered spirit.

Hi Tom. I was looking around your site to see if you had a TOP 10/50/ or 100 of your favorite books of all time? Love the sword and laser podcast and would really enjoy you and Veronica doing a top books list of all time…